BY KADIE VICK
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
CHAMBERS COUNTY — Chambers County now has its first 4-H Ambassador, Kyzer Zeunges, and he said that he is excited to work to grow the program for other local students.
“I want to grow our 4-H program in general, to share it with other people,” he said. “I want to hopefully see more community involvement, volunteering, helping, cleaning and more doing your part. Since I’m the first Chambers County 4-H Alabama State Ambassador, I want to plant the seed that will eventually grow into a beautiful flower for this county. I want to be the stepping stone.”
Zeunges said that he hopes the work that he does to further the 4-H program will create a foundation for future Chambers County 4-H State Ambassadors.
“Being the first 4-H Alabama State Ambassador in Chambers County means that there’s a long road ahead, but I want to start us off and have a strong foundation for that road,” he said. “I want to build the strongest foundation for 4-H that I can, for the beautiful house that we’re going to build.”
4-H teaches children a variety of skills, and Zeunges said these skills have served him well and have empowered him to give back to his community.
“I’ve learned a lot, and I can definitely use the skills I have learned later in life,” he said. “Ever since I joined in fourth grade, it’s given me a sense of community involvement and a desire to do what I can do for my community.”
Zeunges said that he was impacted by 4-H activities that taught him about various factors that can negatively affect water quality and health. He said that this knowledge made him feel responsible for how he impacts the environment and that he wants to pass this knowledge on to younger children.
“When I was younger, I don’t want to say that I didn’t care about the environment, but I wasn’t doing my part,” he said. “I wasn’t doing much, if anything. Then, 4-H came into our classroom and took us to check out the pH levels within the water. Over a few weeks, I saw the impact of the rain, I saw the impact of runoff, I saw all the fish in there and then a few weeks later, there were no fish and the creek bed was running dry. I saw the impact of what can happen, and I realized what trash can do, and I realized how anything can affect the environment.”
With his knowledge of the importance of taking care of the environment and the community, Zeunges said that he wants to see the 4-H program do more in Chambers County.
“I want younger kids to do what they can,” he said. “Don’t be afraid, don’t back down. It’s all there for you, you just gotta take the leap.”
Chambers County 4-H Agent Katie Hill said that she and the other 4-H Chambers County Agents are proud of Zeunges and that she knows he will make a difference in the community.
“We’re just very proud of Kyzer and think he’s going to be a great Ambassador,” she said. “I think the biggest thing is just awareness of our program and locals seeing what this program can lead to. We think he is going to be a great Ambassador and an example in our county.”
For information on how to get involved with Chambers County 4-H, call 334-864-9373 or email ekh0013@auburn.edu.
